Cheap Flights by acting as a Courier for BA

RenStar

Hi,

still kinda new to all this so my apologies if this has been covered before, couldn't find anything when I did a search. Anyway.....

A friend of mine told me that she knows of someone who never pays full price for fares with BA. Apparently, she does this by telling them she wants to be courier. Apparently, she gets given a package to take to he destination and in return she gets cheap flights. This works for any BA destination, apparently.

I'm pretty sure this is an urban myth (probably taken from an episode of the Simpsons or something), but just wondering if anyone knows anything about this? I mean, why would BA pay someone to carry something for them to another Country when they can do it themselves through freight?? Besides, isn't it against airline policy to carry stuff on board which someone has given you but you don't know what it contains?

Any info on this would be much welcome. Thanks

budgetflyer

No its not an URBAN MYTH.
You can fly Free or at reduced cost with "courier flights"
If you really want to do this, spend a FIVER on ebay. They list all the websites.Most companies want a registration fee to be eligible. So you need to be a frequent flyer from LONDON to make this pay. Worth the read anyway for £5 IMO

nelly_2

I think im right in saying it only works for main hub airports like heathrow tokyo JFK etc etc, and with some you lose your bagage alowance.

Here you go

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> http://www.courier.org/corgcms/content/category/5/73/49/

MWH

It's correct. I worked for BA for many years, and there is one courrier flight available per day from London Heathrow to:
- New York
- Miami
- San Francisco or LA (can't remember which one)
- Tokyo
- One or two European destinations

and one returning from Bangkok.

These start cheap, and if no one takes them, they get cheaper. If no one has taken them with 24hrs of delivery, they become free for BA staff.

You are given soe paperwork in an open envelope - so you can see you are not carrying anything dodgy - and that's it. You are quite free to chose a return date, and most of the people I know who have done it got an upgrade, although that may be reserved for staff.

I don't have the number, but reservations (0870 850 9 850) should have it. The courrier dept is (or was) open Mon-Fri 0930-1615.


In addition, there are other companies who offer courrier flights in the same way. Can be a very cheap way to travel, but only if the right flight is available!

RenStar

Wow, I am gobsmacked!! I honestly thought this was an urban myth. Thanks guys. I have a sister in New York who I visit regularly so this might just be a perfect way for me see her and my niece a bit more. One question though on the baggage allowance thing, does that mean you lose all baggage allowance, including hand luggage, both outward and return? I'm a bit confused. Do you know which airlines you lose the baggage allowance with? I'm going to go and check out the Courier website now, Nelly, and see what they say.

Once again, cheers guys!

saveapenny

Interesting article here
http://www.channel4.com/4money/smartmoney/features/courier_flights_150304.html
A whole host of flight links
http://www.backpackglobe.com/scotland/ask_bp_for/links/airlines_links.asp#COURIERS
another cheap way to fly is something like CCW http://www.cashcardworldwide.com/5574340

nelly_2

Think your allowed hand lugage, but if you regularly visit your sister leave a load of clothes at her house

WiseInvestor_2

Mostly correct so far.

A number of airlines (including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic) offer 'fast track' courier services, mainly to large multi-nationals and shipping agents. For a fee, the airline will guarantee the fastest possible route from A to B by using the next available flight. Cargo operations are typically complicated and beaurocratic, so this service relies on passenger routes through the terminals - particularly at the destination.

BA therefore require a passenger to act as the airway-bill carrier, both for speed and legal reasons. Pilots and Cabin Crew are not permitted to fulfill this function as they usually bypass the normal customs and immigration channels. On only the busiest cargo routes (eg New York, Tokyo etc so not their entire network), the airline will pre-allocate space on the aircraft for a courier and will offer the seat at a reduced price to ensure it's filled. As MWH said above, if by the day before departure, the seat is still vacant, it will normally be made available to staff free of charge. However, if the seat is not sold commercially and is 'gifted' to staff, the type of ticket must be changed to avoid tax implications for the employee. As staff tickets are typically 'low priority', the airline will accept any seat to ensure the courier travels so staff upgrades are possible.

It should be noted that the courier never actually carries any cargo, only an open envelope containing the airway-bills detailing the shipment in the normal baggage compartments. The courier is required to read these documents, regardless of whether they understand them!

At the destination, the courier is met by an airline official who recovers the package(s) from the baggage carousel and escorts the courier through customs. At this point, the courier is released from further involvement. Obviously, the airline cannot accept the courier waiting an hour or more for their own bags to be off-loaded before moving through customs, hence the personal hold-baggage allowance is zero. Normal hand-baggage allowance is available. The airline may or may not require the courier to repeat the process for the return journey.

I should point out that only one courier is ever required, so this would only be suitable for persons travelling on their own. Obviously, the airline is unlikely to check whether you've got friends/family on board using commercial tickets but they wouldn't accept unforseen problems such as denied boarding, split seating, immigration delays etc of others in your party - the courier is required to take the quickest routing possible.

Sadly, I don't have any numbers available, but can vouch that this system does exist, can be a cheap way to travel but isn't without it's pitfalls.

blindman

I haven't used him, but this guy sells courier flights to Sydney Australia on a regular basis on Ebay.

pin

I have looked into courier flights in the past, but not in a huge amount of detail. What I did find though was you often need to be avaiable on short notice, this would be tricky if you are working and have to plan your holidays in advance.

Also you sometimes have to pay for part of the cost of the ticket. On major routes, like to New York for example, the price of the courier ticket is sometimes more expensive than the cheapo bucket fares you can get.

Also, it only really works if you are travelling alone and not fussed about travelling with only hand luggage.